Folding crate



L. B. COLLINS.

FOLDING cry/m. APPLICATION FILED JULY 20,1917- I Patentd ]?eb. 3,1920.It? I I .2 SHEETS SHEFT I.

L. B. UULLINS.

FOLDING CRATE. APPLICATION FILED 1uL '20.1911.

Patented Feb. 3, 1920.

. Q m m 5 1 H I w H 3 3 m M/IM ////4 V/Q/Q G w M 2 Z 0 o 0 .5 m 1 o o 5%H i 5 W ,{IAO w a g y 1 v ,1 b T u i 5 1 M O 0 O E 9 a L W? LAUREL B.COLLINS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING CRATE.

Application filed July 20, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAUREL B. COLLINS, a citizen of the United States,and a resldent of the city of Chicago, in the county of' Cook and Stateof Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFolding Crates; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and the numerals of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention comprehends improvements in folding crates which areespecially adapted for confining poultry, and the primary object of theinvention is to provide a crate of this nature, which shall be of strongand simple construction, and which may be quickly folded into a verycompact form.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide afolding crate having a bottom, end walls hinged thereto so as to foldthereagainst, side walls hinged so as to fold over the end walls, andtop wall sections hinged to the side walls.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel means for holdingthe crate in its folded position, said means including a loop or staplecarried by the bottom and a pin extending through said staple intoengagement with the top wall sections.

Vith these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel featuresof construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings andhereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved crate.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial 'No. 181,789.

thereto the side Walls 10 and 11. These walls are connected to thespacing strips 9, by means of hinges 12, and are adapted to fold intoplanes parallel with the bottom 5, and above the end walls when thelatter are in their folded position. The free longitudinal edges of theside walls 10 and 11, carry the top wall sections 13 and 14, saidsections being secured to the side walls by means of the hinges 15.

To retain the crate in its folded position,

as shown in Fig. t, I provide'a locking loop or staple 16, which issecured to the center of the bottom 5, and which projects upwardlybetween the side walls and top wall sections when in their foldedposition, to receive the locking rod or pin 17. The ends of theretaining-- loop 16, are extended through an opening formed in thebottom 5, and then bent upwardly against said bottom so as to securelyretain the loop in its.

walls and sidewalls and the top wall sec- Patented Feb. 3, 1920.]

tions are so proportioned as not to engage I the loop 16, when the crateis in its folded position. r p

Each of the top wall sections is provided with cleats 18, which formtransverse grooves into which the upper edges of the end walls extend,thereby strengthening the crate. The top wall section 13, is providedwith a removable panel 19, held in place by the cross strips 20, saidpanel being for the purpose of allowing the poultry within the coop tobe easily removed without entirely opening the top. The top wallsections are preferably retained in their operative positions by meansof a hook 22, and headed pin 23.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be apparent that I have provided a very simple andpractical poultry crate which may be quickly and easily folded into avery compact form and locked in said position by a novel form offastener.

I am aware that various details of construction may be varied through awide range without departing from the-principles of this invention, andI therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise thannecessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a folding crate, the combination of a bottom section, folding endsections and folding side sections hinged at their lower edges to thesaid bottom section to fold inwardly onto the bottom section, a hingedtop section provided with cleats on the under surface adapted to engagethe end sections of the crate, the said top section being reverselypositioned when the crate is collapsed so that the said cleats are onthe upper surface of the said top section in the collapsed position, andmeans above the top section intermediate of but not projectingsubstantially above the upper surface of said cleats for locking thecrate in the collapsed condition.

2. In a folding crate, the combination of the bottom section, side andend sections hinged at their lower edges to the said bottom section andadapted to be folded thereon, a folding top section suit-ably pivoted sothat the under side thereof faces upwardly when the crate is folded,cleats on the top section adapted to engage the end walls of the cratein its expanded condition and project above the crate in its foldedcondition, and means projecting above the folded top sectionintermediate of but not projecting substantially above the upper surfaceof the said cleats for locking the crate in the folded position.

3. In a folding crate, the combination of the bottom section, inwardlyfolding side and end sections, a pair of outwardly fold- -ing topsections adapted to overlie the said folding end and side sections, alocking member projecting between and above the folded top sections,said lockingvmember being provided with an opening arranged transverselyof the folded top sections, and a longitudinal locking member adapted tobe passed through the said opening transversely of the folded topsection so as to engage both sections for locking the crate in itsfolded condition.

d. In a folding crate, the combination of a bottom section, end and sidesections adapted to be folded inwardly over the top, folding top sectionadapted to fold over the folded end and side sections, a stationarylocking member projecting from the bottom of the crate for locking thecrate in its folded condition and locking means on the folding top ofthe said crate adapted to lock the crate in its expanded conditionindependently of the means for locking the crate in its foldedcondition.

5. In a folding crate, the combination of the bottom section, inwardlyfolding side and end sections, a pair of folding top sections adapted tooverlie the said folding side and end sections, cleats on top of eachfolded top section adaptedto engage the end sections when the crate isextended, and locking means intermediate of but not projectingsubstantially above the upper sur face of said cleats engaging the uppersurface of each folded top section.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two sub scribing witnesses.

' LAUREL B. COLLINS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES W. HILLS, J12, EARL M. HARDINE.

